Since I have firearms in a home with 3 small children and I carry on a near daily basis, I did some thinking about how I have my firearms secured, both at home and on my person. I also thought about what I’ve taught, and continue to teach, my children about what to do if they see/find a firearm (anywhere) and about how and what I’m teaching them firearms safety. As usually happens for me, this lead me to doing some research, this time about firearms accidents.

In 2011*, according to the CDC, there were 126, 438 accidental deaths in the United States. These break out as follows:

That’s right. Of the 9 leading causes of accidental deaths…firearms related accidents come in at 9th place, with nearly half the number of deaths of the next lowest cause of accidental deaths and fewer than 1/60 of the number of deaths attributed to the leading cause of accidental deaths.

How many times more likely are you do die from one of the other 8 causes of accidental death than from a firearm accident?

Iowa Firearms Coalition is an entirely volunteer, grassroots, 2nd Amendment advocacy group. Responsible for bringing uniformity to Iowa’s Concealed Weapons Permitting process, IFC’s members work to protect and enhance 2nd Amendment rights in Iowa. An affiliate of the National Rifle Association, the IFC actively seeks to foster and promote the shooting sports. Sign up for our email list for the latest on 2nd Amendment issues in Iowa. You can support our work by becoming a member, or making a donation.

Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, our own personal safety is every individual’s responsibility. The folks over at HomeSecurityShield have sifted through the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report to compile a list of the 13 statistically most dangerous cities in Iowa. The rankings are based off of violent crime, such as: murder/manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Also included are stats on property crime, such as: burglary, theft, arson.

Iowa Firearms Coalition encourages everyone to take responsibility for their own safety. Whether this means carrying a concealed firearm, pepper spray, a taser, or learning basic self-defense, being alert and prepared are two of the best things you can do to keep yourself from becoming a victim. If you’re interested in getting a Permit to Carry, or doing some training, we highly recommend you check out our Permits and Training page.

Council Bluffs – Violent Crimes: 11.86 per 1,000 residents

Council Bluffs has a crime rate of about 80 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Council Bluffs? One in 12.

Keokuk – Violent Crimes: 10.33 per 1,000 residents

Keokuk has a crime rate of about 66 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Keokuk? One in 15.

Waterloo – Violent Crimes: 6.82 per 1,000 residents

Waterloo has a crime rate of about 43 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Waterloo? One in 23.

Burlington – Violent Crimes: 6.78 per 1,000 residents

Burlington has a crime rate of about 47 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Burlington? One in 21.

Muscatine – Violent Crimes: 6.78 per 1,000 residents

Muscatine has a crime rate of about 42 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Muscatine? One in 24.

Clinton – Violent Crimes: 6.35 per 1,000 residents

Clinton has a crime rate of about 51 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Clinton? One in 19.

Davenport – Violent Crimes: 5.97 per 1,000 residents

Davenport has a crime rate of about 45 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Davenport? One in 22.

Fort Madison – Violent Crimes: 5.44 per 1,000 residents

Fort Madison has a crime rate of about 30 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Fort Madison? One in 33.

Fort Dodge – Violent Crimes: 5.34 per 1,000 residents

Fort Dodge has a crime rate of about 52 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Fort Dodge? One in 19.

Boone – Violent Crimes: 5.28 per 1,000 residents

Boone has a crime rate of about 31 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Boone? One in 32.

Des Moines – Violent Crimes: 5.27 per 1,000 residents

Des Moines has a crime rate of about 55 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Des Moines? One in 18.

Centerville – Violent Crimes: 5.26 per 1,000 residents

Centerville has a crime rate of about 50 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Centerville? One in 20.

Marshalltown – Violent Crimes:5.09 per 1,000 residents

Marshalltown has a crime rate of about 38 per one thousand residents.

Your chance of becoming a victim of a crime in Marshalltown? One in 27.

Iowa Firearms Coalition is an entirely volunteer, grassroots, 2nd Amendment advocacy group. Responsible for bringing uniformity to Iowa’s Concealed Weapons Permitting process, IFC’s members work to protect and enhance 2nd Amendment rights in Iowa. An affiliate of the National Rifle Association, the IFC actively seeks to foster and promote the shooting sports. Sign up for our email list for the latest on 2nd Amendment issues in Iowa. You can support our work by becoming a member, or making a donation.